TW201507275A - An antenna structure with ceramic substrate material and method for fabricating - Google Patents

Abstract

An antenna structure with ceramic substrate material, comprise a ceramic substrate material and a metallic layer. The metallic layer dispose on the outer surfaces of the ceramic substrate, and the metallic later is a antenna patterns.

Description

Ceramic-based antenna structure and manufacturing method thereof

The invention relates to an antenna and a manufacturing method thereof, in particular to an antenna structure based on ceramics and a manufacturing method thereof.

Due to the development of wireless communication technology, electronic communication products pay more and more attention to the receiving quality requirements of signals; and consumers require small size, light weight, portability and good reception for electronic communication products, and highly integrated chips. It is required to achieve the goal of miniaturization. The performance of the antenna is an important part of affecting the quality of wireless communication; the antennas of various wireless communication systems have different characteristics according to different applications. For example, the antennas of wireless communication products are exposed and built-in, of which the exposed type is The antenna is exposed outside the wireless communication product, and the built-in antenna is mounted on the casing, and then the casing and the planar antenna are installed together in the wireless communication product to provide product receiving signals. However, the conventional wafer type antenna has many disadvantages in production. For example, the conventional antenna process is to fabricate the antenna circuit on the ceramic body in a printed manner, but since the ceramic system has a three-dimensional structure, the antenna line is connected at a corner. The accuracy is very difficult to control. Accordingly, the inventors have diligently studied and cooperated with the application of the theory, and proposed a present invention which is rational in design and effective in improving the above problems.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic-based antenna structure and a manufacturing method thereof to improve the accuracy of antenna fabrication to obtain better antenna quality and received signal characteristics.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a ceramic-based antenna structure comprising: a ceramic substrate and a metal layer. The metal layer is disposed on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate, and the metal layer is an antenna pattern.

Further, the ceramic substrate may be an aluminum oxide material; the metal layer may be a copper material; and the insulating layer may be an epoxy resin material or a polyamidite material.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention further provides a method for fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; forming a metal layer on an outer surface of the ceramic substrate; and hollowing out a predetermined region of the metal layer So that the metal layer forms an antenna pattern.

Further, before the step of forming a metal layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate, the method further comprises the steps of: a roughening step, using a chemical cleaning method to roughen the surface of the ceramic substrate; and a sensitizing step, adsorbing an easy oxidation on the surface of the ceramic substrate a metal ion layer; an activation step of depositing a catalytically active catalytic metal on the surface of the ceramic substrate. Wherein, the easily oxidizable metal ion layer may be a reducing agent of the metal layer; the metal layer may be a copper material. In addition, after the step of forming a metal layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate, a passivation step is further included: forming an oxide protective layer on the surface of the metal layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention further provides a method for fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating an insulating layer on an outer surface of the ceramic substrate; forming a hollow in the insulating layer a bare ceramic substrate; a metal layer covering the insulating layer and the hollow portion thereof; removing the insulating layer on the ceramic substrate, and the metal layer attached to the insulating layer to form an antenna on the ceramic substrate Patterned metal layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention further provides a handheld communication device in which a ceramic-based antenna structure is embedded, and the handheld communication device comprises: a communication module and a back cover structure. The back of the communication module has at least two conductive terminals; the back cover structure is composed of an insulating material, and comprises: a ceramic substrate and a metal layer. The ceramic substrate is embedded in the back cover structure; the metal layer is an antenna pattern disposed on the ceramic substrate, and the metal layer has a feeding portion. The back cover structure is assembled in the communication module The back portion of the metal layer of the back cover structure is connected to the two conductive terminals of the communication module.

The ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention and the manufacturing method thereof have the following advantageous advantages: the present invention forms a hollow portion before the insulating layer, and then covers the entire outer surface of the insulating layer, and then the insulating layer and The metal layer attached to the insulating layer is removed, thereby forming a metal antenna pattern having a complicated structure on the ceramic substrate, thereby solving the shortcomings of the conventional printing process and achieving an antenna structure with better precision.

For a better understanding of the features and technical aspects of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings.

1‧‧‧Antenna structure

10‧‧‧Ceramic substrate

100‧‧‧Antenna pattern

11‧‧‧metal layer

12‧‧‧Insulation

121‧‧‧镂空部

2‧‧‧Handheld communication device

20‧‧‧Communication Module

21‧‧‧Back cover structure

S1~S3‧‧‧ Process steps

SS1~SS5‧‧‧ Process Steps

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention.

2 is a first flow diagram of a first embodiment of a method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention.

3 is a second flow diagram of a first embodiment of a method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention.

4 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of a method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention.

5 is a first flow diagram of a third embodiment of a method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention.

6 is a second flow diagram of a third embodiment of a method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention.

7 is a schematic view of a ceramic-based antenna structure applied to a handheld communication device of the present invention.

[First Embodiment]

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is an embodiment of a ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention. Schematic diagram of the cross section structure. As shown, the ceramic-based antenna structure 1 includes a ceramic substrate 10 and a metal layer 11. The metal layer 11 is disposed on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate 10. The metal layer 11 is an antenna pattern 100, which is a radiation body of the antenna, and the shape of the shape can be changed according to the needs of the user, and is not limited herein. In a preferred embodiment, the ceramic substrate can be an aluminum oxide material (e.g., aluminum oxide); the metal layer 11 can be a copper material.

[Second embodiment]

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 together, the present invention further proposes a method of fabricating the above-described ceramic-based antenna structure. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: step S1: providing a ceramic substrate; step S2: forming a metal layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate; and step S3: hollowing out a predetermined region of the metal layer to form the metal layer to form an antenna pattern.

Specifically, the predetermined area described in the step S3 is a reverse pattern corresponding to the antenna pattern to be formed; specifically, when the user forms the antenna pattern on the metal layer, the hollow portion is required. That is, the predetermined area described in step S3. In practical applications, the method for forming a metal layer on the ceramic substrate in the step S2 can be selected according to actual needs, for example, by electroless plating or electroplating; in step S3, laser burning can be applied. The way to form a metal layer having an antenna pattern is not limited thereto.

[Third embodiment]

Referring to FIG. 4, another method for fabricating the above-described ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention is different from the above manufacturing method, and may further include between step S1 and step S3 of the previous embodiment. The following steps: Step S11: a surface roughening step to roughen the surface of the ceramic substrate, thereby increasing the adhesion of the ceramic substrate in a subsequent process; Step S12: a surface sensitizing step of adsorbing an easily oxidizable surface on the surface of the ceramic substrate Metal ion layer, which can be used for subsequent electroless plating or electroplating of metals In the layer, the metal ions in the chemical liquid can be easily deposited on the surface of the ceramic substrate; Step S13: a surface activation step depositing a catalytically active catalytic metal on the surface of the ceramic substrate, thereby increasing the deposition rate and uniformity of the metal layer Step S2: forming a metal layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate; and step S21: a surface passivation step to form an oxide protective layer on the surface of the metal layer.

In the actual application, the above step S11 may be roughening by using a chemical liquid according to the properties of the metal layer.

[Fourth embodiment]

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the present invention further proposes a method for fabricating the above-described ceramic-based antenna structure. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: step SS1: providing a ceramic substrate; step SS2: coating an insulating layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate; step SS3: forming a hollow portion on the insulating layer to expose the ceramic substrate; Step SS4: coating a metal layer on the insulating layer and the hollow portion of the insulating layer; step SS5: removing the insulating layer on the ceramic substrate and the metal layer attached to the insulating layer, thereby forming the ceramic substrate The metal layer of the antenna pattern.

In the above steps SS2 to SS4, in practical applications, the insulating material may be fixed and coated on the ceramic substrate by an in-mold injection method using an automated device to form the insulating layer, and the mold may have an antenna pattern design. The hollow portion may be formed on the insulating layer.

[Fifth Embodiment]

Referring to FIG. 7, the ceramic-based antenna structure of the present invention described above can be applied to a handheld communication device (preferably a smart phone). As shown, hand held The communication device 2 comprises: a communication module 20 and a back cover structure 21. The ceramic-based antenna structure 1 is embedded in the back cover structure 21, and has a feeding portion (not shown) for connecting two conductive terminals corresponding to the back surface of the communication module 20 (not shown) ).

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and the equivalents of the present invention and the equivalents of the drawings are all included in the present invention. Within the scope of protection, it is given to Chen Ming.

1‧‧‧Antenna structure

10‧‧‧Ceramic substrate

11‧‧‧metal layer

100‧‧‧Antenna pattern

Claims (12)

A ceramic-based antenna structure includes: a ceramic substrate; a metal layer disposed on an outer surface of the ceramic substrate, and the metal layer is an antenna pattern. The ceramic-based antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is a copper material. The ceramic-based antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the ceramic substrate is aluminum oxide. A method for fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; forming a metal layer on an outer surface of the ceramic substrate; hollowing out a predetermined region of the metal layer to form the metal layer into a day Line pattern. The method for fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure according to claim 4, wherein before the step of forming the metal layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate, the step of roughening is further included to roughen the surface of the ceramic substrate. a sensitizing step of adsorbing an easily oxidizable metal ion layer on the surface of the ceramic substrate; and an activation step of depositing a catalytically active catalytic metal on the surface of the ceramic substrate. A method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure as recited in claim 5, wherein the oxidizable metal ion layer is a reducing agent for the metal layer. A method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure as recited in claim 5, wherein the roughening step utilizes chemical cleaning. A method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure as described in claim 4, wherein the metal layer is a copper material. A method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure as described in claim 4, After the step of forming a metal layer on the outer surface of the ceramic substrate, the method further comprises the following steps: a passivation step to form an oxide protective layer on the surface of the metal layer. A method of fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure as described in claim 4, wherein in the step of hollowing out the predetermined region of the metal layer, the predetermined region of the metal layer is burned off by laser. A method for fabricating a ceramic-based antenna structure, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating an insulating layer on an outer surface of the ceramic substrate; forming a hollow portion on the insulating layer to expose the ceramic substrate Laying a metal layer over the insulating layer and the hollow portion of the insulating layer; and removing the insulating layer on the ceramic substrate, and the metal layer attached to the insulating layer to form a ceramic substrate for one day The metal layer of the line pattern. A handheld communication device having a ceramic-based antenna structure embedded therein, the handheld communication device comprising: a communication module having at least two conductive terminals on a back surface thereof; and a back cover structure comprising an insulating material The back cover structure comprises: a ceramic substrate embedded in the back cover structure; and a metal layer disposed on the ceramic substrate, wherein the metal layer has a feed portion; The back cover structure is assembled on the back surface of the communication module, and the feeding portion of the metal layer of the back cover structure is connected to the two conductive terminals of the communication module.